CAPTAIN JERVISsaid, he wished to ask the right hon. Gentleman the First Commissioner of Works, Whether he has received a deputation of the inhabitants of Finsbury Circus to solicit his support against the proposed extension of the Great Eastern Railway; if so, whether he has promised that support; and, in such a case, if he will state what supervision his Department possesses over projects of a similar nature within the metropolis?
MR. COWPERsaid, that a number of gentlemen who were in the habit of walking in Finsbury Circus, and who attached great importance to the preservation of the semi-rural character of that place, had done him the honour to call upon him, with the wish to enlist his sympathies with regard to the grievance which they anticipated was coming upon them. They stated that the Great Eastern Railway Company contemplated placing a station in the centre of Finsbury Circus, which had hitherto been a very quiet spot in the centre of the City of London. They added that it was almost the only place where persons who were obliged to reside in the City could live away from the noise and bustle. He gave them his sympathy, though that was not worth much; it was more, however, than it appeared the hon. and gallant Gentleman himself would be disposed to extend to them. Persons who came forward to represent that the public interests would be injuriously affected by railway enterprise were placed in a critical position by the practice of the House. Before a Private Bill Committee persons whose pecuniary interests were involved, who promoted or opposed a particular scheme, or were willing to spend money in defending particular rights, might all be represented. But those complaining on the part of the public had no means of making their voice heard in a committee-room. The matter was assuming a very grave character just then, when no less than twenty-one Bills affecting the metropolis were before the House. There seemed to be no reason why the railway should take Finsbury Circus, except that they would have to pay less for land there than for other land covered with houses. But if it were once laid down as a principle that railway companies were at liberty to turn open spaces into railway pre- 412 mises, Trafalgar Square, St. James's, and all the other public sites would be seized for those purposes. He was unable to point out to the deputation any way in which the interests of the public could be brought before the Committee; but he hoped that hon. Gentlemen who might hereafter be appointed to serve on that Committee would not consider themselves shut out from remembering what was for the public interests and the public convenience, although in strictness these might not be before them. He also suggested to the deputation that they ought to forward a petition to the House, setting forth their grievances, which would probably be referred to the Committee before which the Bill might be brought.
CAPTAIN JERVIS—The right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last branch of the question, with regard to the supervision exercised by his Department.
MR. COWPER—I am unable to tell the hon. and gallant Member anything more than he knows himself. I am not aware of any powers which be is not aware of.